SEC recruiting coach power rankings: South Carolina’s Travaris Robinson gets his due

At SEC Country, we’ve compiled a rankings system for the conference’s best recruiters for the Class of 2017 based upon current commitments and uncommitted targets using 247Sports’ composite scores of high school recruits.

Our formula multiplies the number of recruits credited to an assistant coach by the average of the recruits’ composite scores. Then that number is multiplied by the average scores of the recruiter’s top 5 uncommitted targets for which he’s the primary recruiter. If he doesn’t have five primary uncommitted targets remaining, we move to targets for whom he is the secondary recruiter. If there still aren’t five, we move to fill the remaining slots with zeroes.

For every 5-star recruit landed, that recruiter receives a 0.5-point bonus.

Here is the breakdown:

(Number of recruits x average rating)(average rating of five top remaining targets) + (5-star bonus if applicable) = recruiter score

Based upon our formula, these are the 10 best recruiters in the SEC:

10. Tim Horton, Auburn running backs coach (LW: 10)

Recruiter score: 3.83

Horton lost out on Monty Rice, a 3-star linebacker, to LSU. Losing one of his top remaining targets dropped his recruiter rating below 4.0.

9. Glenn Schumann, Georgia inside linebackers coach (LW: 9)

Recruiter score: 4.86

Schumann lost 3-star linebacker Monty Rice to LSU, but appears to have a huge lead in the race for 4-star linebacker Nate McBride.

8. Tosh Lupoi, Alabama outside linebackers coach (LW: 5)

Recruiter score: 5.67

Lupoi’s score didn’t move at all, but the reassurance from dual-threat QB Tua Tagovailoa, a 4-star QB, surely made his week.

T-6. Robert Gillespie, Tennessee running backs coach (LW:6)

Recruiter score: 5.83

Gillespie had a quiet week, but he’s still in position to make more noise with a target list full of top names including Cam Akers, the No. 2 running back in the country.

T-6. Clarence McKinney, Texas A&M running backs coach (LW: 5)

Recruiter score: 5.83

McKinney’s inability to snag 5-star OT Walker Little, who committed to Stanford, dropped his rating below 6.0. However, 4-star LB Kendall Sheffield could be landing soon with the Aggies.

5. Billy Napier, Alabama wide receivers coach (LW: 3)

Recruiter score: 6.62

Napier’s score stayed put this week, and sadly, it’s hard to see it taking a huge leap as his top five remaining targets seem to be leaning elsewhere.

4. Vince Marrow, Kentucky tight ends coach (LW: 8)

Recruiter score: 7.12

Marrow made a big jump this week with commitments from 3-star JUCO cornerback Lonnie Johnson and 4-star defensive end Joshua Paschal. Marrow now has a nice batch of nine commitments.

3. Tommy Thigpen, Tennessee linebackers coach (Last week: 1)

Recruiter score: 7.29

Thigpen’s rating dropped this week when 3-star Salem (Ga.) High linebacker Mo Burnam reopened his recruitment on Dec. 12 following an official visit to Indiana. His nine recruits, however, keep him near the top of our rankings.

2. Travaris Robinson, South Carolina defensive coordinator (LW: NR)

Recruiter score: 7.38

Robinson soared into our rankings this week with 3-star JUCO cornerbacks Keisan Nixon and Kaleb Chalmers signing. Robinson now has nine commitments — six of which are defensive backs.

1. Mario Cristobal, Alabama offensive line coach (LW: 4)

Recruiter score: 7.92

Cristobal is still impressing with eight total recruits, including two 5-star players. This week’s big addition was 4-star JUCO offensive tackle Elliot Baker. However, losing 5-star OT Isaiah Wilson to Georgia stings.